Clashing
by zenithoflife
Summary: What happens when a certain raven-haired shinigami gets the impression that Ichigo thinks she's weak? Throw in meddlesome friends, a perverted Keigo and Mizuiro's ex-girlfriend--chaos is what you get. Chapter 2 up:How Women Are Actually Rabid Animals...
1. Chapter 1

**Close Enough by zenithoflife**

'Kuchiki-san! Go out with me!' Mizuiro pleaded. 'Just one date!'

'Oh, Kojima-kun,' Rukia smiled fakely as she batted her eyelashes. 'I'm afraid I'm a little too old for you.'

_Ha, you don't know how true that is. _Ichigo thought to himself as he sucked loudly on his straw. Perhaps if he focused on his drink, he could tune out Mizuiro's pleading—and was that Keigo sniffing in the background?

_God, why on earth did he have such disgusting friends?_ Ichigo grimaced as he tried vainly to block out what was going on next to him. Yes, someone in Soul Society must have got something in for him. He could just envision Byakuya smirking at his current plight.

'Kuchiki-san!' Mizuiro's begging was becoming increasingly desperate as he attempted to drown out Ichigo's obnoxious drinking sounds and Keigo's weeping.

Rukia continued to smile demurely albeit it becoming a little forced. 'I'm sorry—'

'But, Kuchiki-san—' Mizuiro implored. 'If you knew the depths of my passion for you—'

Ichigo's drinking sounds and Keigo's blubbering were reaching ear-splitting decibals when Rukia finally snapped.

Rukia was a very calm person by nature. After being trained by Kuchiki Byakuya on the various ways of Appearing To Have A Stick Up Your Ass 101, she was more than ready for anything that fate could throw at her. After all, Kuchikis did not lose their tempers. Hell, she doubted that they even knew what it was.

But she seriously doubted that an average member of the Kuchiki clan had to deal with being irritated by a perverted male who was a 100 years younger and had raging hormones the height of Mount Everest to boot.

Throw in an annoying carrothead who made it his sole purpose in life to aggravate the hell out of her and a heartbroken pervert who had been trying to hit on her on a daily basis...

All in all, it was unsurprising that she lost her temper.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Mizuiro nursed a bump on his head as he bemoaned his fate. 'How could she be so mean to me? I even broke up with all my girlfriends for her!'

'Are you serious?' Ichigo levelled an amazed stare at him. 'Don't you always have one or two as backup?'

Mizuiro stared at him. Ichigo could have sworn that he saw the fires burning in the background representing his apparent passion for Rukia. 'Kuchiki-san is the epitome of what all men want from women! To prove my undying love to her, I have readily undergone the greatest sacrifice of my life!'

'Yeah, what is a sacrifice to you is merely what's normal for the rest of us. And why the heck would all men want Rukia? She's the furthest thing from a woman,' Ichigo muttered as he turned away.

'Awww, Ichigo! It's not fair for you to hog such a wondrous work of beauty from all of us!' Keigo bawled as tears seemed to flow endlessly from his eyes. 'And she turns down all of us just for this beast! You are not worthy, Ichigo!'

A vein twitched in Ichigo's forehead. 'Keigo, shut that trap before I shut it for you.'

'But, Ichigo—'

Ichigo turned enraged brown orbs on him as Keigo cringed away.

Luckily for Keigo, the gods were on his side that day as an unwelcome intruder burst into the rooftop, interrupting their conversation.

'Kojima!' She screeched as Mizuiro hastily tried to cower behind Ichigo. 'How dare you dump me!'

She stormed up to the stunned Ichigo as Mizuiro attempted to appear non-existent.

Ichigo had to admit, that girl had well-defined…_assets._ Her ample bosom could even rival Matsumoto's in the area of its enormity. No matter what they had to say about Mizuiro's morals, he had to admit that the guy could really pick them…

He smacked himself internally. Now was _so _not the time to be thinking of this random stranger's boobs, especially when said breasts belonged to a homicidal maniac who appeared to be on the verge of attempting to make Mizuiro a eunuch.

The both of them tried their best to ignore Mizuiro's pleading glance.

Or rather, Keigo shook his head while Ichigo backed away hurriedly. No way was he getting into the relationship problems between Mizuiro and Unknown Stranger.

You could hardly say that Ichigo valued his life with all the life-threatening situations that he jumped into with Rukia, but he liked his head where it was, thank you very much. He was pretty sure that even the bonds of brotherhood didn't stretch that far…

'How could you?' She sobbed, distraught, as she clung onto the front of Mizuiro's shirt. 'I loved you!'

Ichigo and Keigo sweatdropped simultaneously. Wasn't she livid…?

'Aiko—' was all that Mizuiro managed to choke out through her death grip. 'I—'

Ichigo swore inwardly never to get involved with any women. Especially not any with who were equipped with extremely well-developed gifts as they usually ended up thirsting for your blood when you dumped them.

Slap!

Mizuiro now had a swollen cheek to match the rather visible lump on his head.

Done with her unfaithful boyfriend and thirsting for her next prey, Unknown Stranger—or Aiko advanced on Rukia with the intensity of a raging pit bull.

'How dare you steal my boyfriend, you—' She shrieked before raising her hand to slap her.

Rukia tensed as she waited for the impact, and waited, and waited and waited.

'What the fuck are you doing?' A male voice snarled. Rukia's eyes flew open and a familiar orange-haired substitute shinigami seemed to be almost radiating animosity in his rage.

Ichigo had found himself leaping forward instinctively and grabbing Aiko's hand as it descended.

Feh, stupid shinigami who didn't even recognise a catfight when she was in the middle of one…

Aiko glared at the unwelcome intruder, as she pulled her arm from his grip.

'This is none of your business, you orange-haired freak.' She growled.

Rukia expected Ichigo to retreat rapidly. After all the years of knowing him, she could discern between his angry scowl, happy scowl, exhausted scowl and scowl scowl. And now he was wearing a livid scowl, plus she was pretty sure that 17 year old boys did not make it a point to interfere into other girls' quarrels.

Hell, knowing Ichigo, if it involved two girls fighting, he would probably be the first to run for the hills.

'Well, when you tried to hurt her, you made it my business,' he stated forcefully. 'And your business is with Mizuiro. Rukia has nothing to do with it.'

If anything, Aiko's menacing glare became even more lethal. If eyes could kill, Ichigo would have been ten feet under the ground. Her stare was even worse than Byakuya's and that was saying a lot…

'Well, when he asked her out, it became my business! I don't need some random chick to trespass on my territory. And don't try to lie, I saw him asking her out!'

Ichigo fought the impulse to rub his hand over his face. Damn Mizuiro, he just had to get him involved in his multiple relationships, didn't he?

And who was the one who leapt to Rukia's defence? A mocking voice asked.

Ichigo scowled deeper. It was merely _friendship_. He leapt to her defence because he was her friend. It was what normal friends would do for each other.

_And would you leap to Tatsuki's defence then? Or Orihime?_

I wouldn't need to, he defended angrily. Ishida would be there to protect Orihime and if anyone tried to hit Tatsuki, she would send her on a one-way trip to Mars.

_Keep trying to tell yourself that._

Ichigo scowled. Wonderful. He was trapped between two girls, one who wanted him dead and he was hearing voices in his head. Could his day get any shittier?

He cursed. Someone in Soul Society definitely had it in for him.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Rukia gaped, disconcerted at Ichigo's back. Why would he—?

'Ichigo,' She forced out through gritted teeth. She clenched her fists. It was because she was weak, wasn't it? That damn carrothead simply didn't know how to keep his nose out of other people's business. 'I can take care of myself perfectly well.'

'Yeah, listen to her, Ichigo,' Aiko repeated mockingly. 'And get out of our way so that—'

'Listen here,' Ichigo bit out. 'I don't give a shit on what happens between you and Mizuiro. It is his business if he wants to date bitches with sticks the size of Japan shoved up their asses. But whatever the hell it is, Rukia has nothing to do with this.'

To back up his statement, he bestowed on her his Kurosaki Patented Scowl which totally beat the Kuchiki Glare hands down.

Aiko felt a chill run involuntarily down her spine and gave him a last dirty look before storming out the door.

_Ha! Take that Byakuya! I still beat you in the How To Scare The Shit Out of Your Opponenet department!_ Ichigo applauded internally.

The sound of the door slamming shattered the sudden silence that enveloped the crowd of spectators and a mass of hushed whispering broke out.

_It's a three way triangle… I heard that Aiko and Mizuiro were going out before Rukia came… Ichigo's always been in love with her…_

Ichigo glared at them, frightening them back into silence. The years of his carefully cultivated cool and unconcerned image…he could practically see them flying out of the window.

He rubbed his forehead. Great, he now had a freakin' headache to boot.

'Ichigo…' Rukia's voice broke him out of his reverie. He turned back to her, surprised.

Ichigo wasn't expecting any thanks. Hell, he wasn't even expecting a smile. But whatever it was, he definitely didn't expect Rukia to direct her anger at _him_.

'I can take care of myself perfectly well! I don't need your help. Go help someone who wants it. Or better still, needs it!'

She raised her eyes to his, and to his surprise, he saw uncontained fury swimming in her violet orbs. He drew back, startled, as she stormed away, leaving a bewildered Ichigo in her wake.

Ichigo stalked back to where he was sitting and without a word, slammed Mizuiro into the floor; before he stormed, fuming, out of the door of the roof.

Ishida pushed up his glasses, while surveying the entire scene, without saying a word.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Freakin' women, Ichigo cursed. You never knew what the hell they were thinking. You help one and you think that she might have been at least a little relieved—but wow, it turns out that she wanted it to continue and now, she hated him to boot.

He kicked a stray stone on the floor moodily, sending it flying with a pile of gravel.

Argh, he hated himself sometimes. It seemed that whatever he said, whatever he did—it just wasn't enough for her. So what if he got into her fight? What the fuck did she expect him to do? Sit there and watch her get slapped like some wounded puppy? She should just get together with some wimpy asshole like Mizuiro or Keigo…

Except that the thought of her with anyone other than him made him feel like bankai-ing their ass to Soul Society and back.

He stilled. What the fuck was he thinking? He didn't like her. He never did and never would. Why on earth would he like a shinigami who was ten times his age and who had a secret obsession about kicking him in the shins everytime she saw him? Who seized every opportunity to rebuke him for his irresponsibility and impulsiveness? Who dared to hit him when he behaved like a fool but still understood him even when it seemed that nobody did?

Ichigo kicked all of such thoughts out of his head. He hated her. Especially all the more after she publicly humiliated him and utterly ruined his reputaion.

And he tried extremely hard not to remember the warm feeling that engulfed his heart that she gave him one of her rare smiles.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Damn irritating shinigami substitutes, Rukia glowered at the ground. That aggravating carrothead was always protecting her. _Stay back, Rukia. I'll deal with this, Rukia. _What the hell did she have to do to make him see that she could take care of things herself?

She directed a glare at an unsuspecting student. Ichigo behaved like she was some fragile china doll that would break at the least problem. She wasn't _weak._ She knew how to defend herself.

She frowned angrily as the student gave a little shriek and ran away.

'Kuchiki-san, no matter how much you glare at the ground, its not going to reply,' Orihime's sunny smile could be heard through her voice.

She raised her head, erasing her previous irate look and replacing it with a smile. 'Not at all, Inoue-san. I was just a little infuriated at Ichigo and taking it out on the ground. At least that's better than on his shins, right?'

Orihime's sunny smile faded into a contemplative look. 'You know, I've never seen Kurosaki-kun get so irritated before. He usually stays out of all this kinds of catfights.'

'Catfights?' Rukia questioned, puzzled. 'What's that?'

Orihime beamed. 'Uhm, its…erm…when two women fight over a guy!'

'I was not fighting with her over Mizuiro!' Rukia flashed back. 'It was just that things ended up this way.'

'Inoue, you got it all wrong,' Ishida sighed, as he ran his fingers through his hair. '_Catfight_ is a term for an altercation between two women, typically involving scratching, slapping, hair-pulling, and shirt-shredding as opposed to punching…'

'Okay, okay,' Rukia cut in. She didn't need Ishida's nonstop ramblings to add on to how much her day could get any worse. 'I get the idea.'

'But she's right, you know,' Tatsuki chimed in. 'I've never seen Ichigo so agitated. Even when Orihime got some flak from the rest of the girls. You know, because of the blond hair and blue eyes and all the boys fell in love with her—Ichigo didn't even jump in. I had to threaten to punch them before they all left.'

'Yeah, well,' Ishida spoke up emphatically. 'Kurosaki was always afraid of girls. Or rather, getting involved with them.'

'Why on earth did he jump in headfirst today?'Tatsuki pondered out loud. 'He should have known better than to interfere. It's an unwritten rule that guys aren't allowed to get into catfights.'

'Who knows?' Chad remarked dispassionately. 'Sometimes, with Ichigo, its better not to ask.'

'But then again, it was lucky that Kurosaki did what he did,' Ishida piped up. 'He was probably afraid that the girl would have physically assaulted you.'

'I can take care of myself perfectly well!' Rukia flashed back. 'I don't need Ichigo to hang over me like an overprotective mother hen. I have quite enough of that from Ni-sama and Renji.'

Orihime smiled. 'But when you love someone, all you want to do is to keep them safe.'

'But —I—he—we—don't like each other! We hate each other's guts!' Rukia stuttered.

Orihime merely smiled knowledgeably, as Ishida pushed up his glasses and Tatsuki cleared her throat.

_Why was it that what was so clear to everybody else was hidden from both of their eyes?_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The bell rang shrilly as students and teachers alike filtered through the door.

'Bye, Kuchiki-san!' Orihime sang out. 'Bye, Kurosaki-kun!'

Rukia waved while Ichigo merely grunted in reply.

He had been answering everyone's questions with monosyllabic replies after that incident.

She stared at his back. She had merely told him not to take care of her so much. Why on earth did he—?

'Come on,' Ichigo's voice interrupted her train of thought. 'Let's go home.' He averted his eyes, choosing to stare out the window instead.

She stared at him, perplexed. She was the one who should have been infuriated, she should have been the one who was venting _her_ anger on everybody else.

'Yes, come on,' she grabbed her bag and offered up a conciliatory smile.

But why on earth did he insist on avoiding her eyes?

Ichigo scowled. He didn't know what the hell was he thinking. The atmosphere had been so rift with tension between the both of them that it had been a relief when he finally got home.

Throwing his bag on the ground, he buried himself in his homework. Homework was a glad respite from all of the stupid unwanted annoying thoughts that assailed him when he thought of a certain raven-haired midget.

The door opened, and he looked up perfunctorily. Oh god no, was the first thought that entered his brain.

Rukia had on her resolute face.

Now, Ichigo respected doggedness. He was all behind it, seeing that it was an unwavering single-mindedness that got him to Sereitei to rescue her.

But when Rukia put on her resolute face, it was because of she acknowledged a problem and she was going all out to face it. And it was now directed at him.

Fuck. He didn't need this shit now when he was struggling with trying to understand why he leapt to her defence as well as her current reaction to his response.

Oh crap, she had started talking.

'Ichigo,' Rukia pronounced. Dear god, why did it sound so much like a death sentence to him? 'Why did you stop Aiko from hitting me? I can take care of myself perfectly well. I don't need you to constantly try and defend me.'

He could hear that _I am not weak, so don't try and think that I am _tone in her voice and he didn't know why, but it infuriated the hell out of him.

'Well, you are,' He replied brusquely. 'You haven't gotten your full powers back, so you shouldn't overexert yourself.'

'Oh, and I'm _so _sure that a 17 year old female is a lot worse than a Hollow. I was quite sure that I have more than enough power to take her down,' Her eyes flashed. 'So don't try and coddle me, Ichigo. I am not a child.'

He lowered his head to continue with his schoolwork, ignoring the way her glare was boring holes in his back.

He didn't know why but her insistence that she didn't need him niggled at the back of his head.

Just then, he found his pen being snatched out of his hand.

'Fuck, Rukia!' He exclaimed incredulously.

She glanced at him briefly. 'If you could just look at me and stop trying to do your homework, we can talk this over like mature adults.'

He groaned. 'I don't want to discuss this over. I don't even want to have a conversation with you right now.'

'Well, we wouldn't have the need to have this conversation if a certain substitute shinigami didn't feel the need to become all overprotective of me!' She spat out.

'Well, I'm afraid that if the shinigami in question wasn't so weak and pathetic, then the substitute shinigami wouldn't even have to be taking care of her!' He snarled.

She recoiled. She had sensed his eyes following her in the corridor, watchful and alert, always alert for signs of anything that threatened her—but this was the first time he had told her that it was because she was _weak_.

Ichigo stole a glance at her and saw that the colour had risen in her cheeks and she was trembling. He squashed down the sudden impulse to apologize, to take back his harsh words—anything that would stop her from appearing so—so—broken.

Why the hell did she have to raise this question now? He didn't know why the fuck he leapt to her defence, why the sight of her injured inflamed his anger and why—and why he was occasionally tempted to kiss her.

Except now she appeared to hate him even more now.

'I understand now,' Rukia gave him a sardonic smile, as he flinched impulsively. Why did she have to look so blank? 'Thank you for gracing this frail feeble shinigami with your valuable time.'

Rukia leapt out through the window and gave in to her overwhelming impulse to run as far as she could, to anywhere—just away from him.

Ichigo cursed vilely under his breath, before punching the wall hard.

Why did he have to say that? He just had to make things worse by insulting her fighting prowess didn't he? He knew perfectly well that she was occasionally miffed when Byakuya or Renji raised the fact that although Ichigo had siphoned his power from her, he was now the better fighter: stronger, faster and had already reached bankai while hers was still only in shikai form.

Ichigo threw himself into his chair and tried to focus all his attention on his homework before hurling it against his door.

Che, he was getting soft.

Ichigo closed his eyes tightly and tried his utmost best not to think of black haired midgets who smiled as softly as the rain and possessed intriguing violet eyes that could see into the depths of his soul.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

**To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2: How Women Are Actually

**A/N: Sorry for not updating! I went overseas for 3 weeks and just returned! I'm toying with the idea of writing a second chapter for Fairytale (alternate ending) but it was one of my starter stories so it kinda sucked. Should I rewrite it or leave it as it is? **

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

**Chapter 2: How Women Are Actually Rabid Animals In Disguise**

**The next day**

Ichigo shielded his eyes from the blinding sun.

Rukia had only returned from wherever she had been—he guessed that it had been Urahara's shop—only after he fell asleep. And she had left early the next morning even before he had woken up.

He scowled. He owed her an apology. It was the least he could do.

But he still couldn't fathom why the fuck did he protect her—and why she stirred up so many emotions in him that he couldn't for the life of him explain away.

For now, he was making do with staring morosely at the ground while walking to school.

'KYAAAA!!!!!!' The sounds of so many screeching females assailed his ear drums as he moved to cover his ears from the earsplitting shrieks.

Were that yelps of ecstacy or pain? The difference was never quite clear to him. After all, they all sounded the same.

He glanced up, as he saw the gaggle of aggravating females swarming into the shop. What the hell—were they fighting for that stupid thing?

He resumed his walk. Che, stupid females. Imagine fighting over a Chappy rabbit plushie. Even Rukia wouldn't resort to such tactics…

Wait, if he wanted to apologize, why not get it for her? It would lessen her anger and he wouldn't have to apologize to her directly and get laughed at for his pains. But to trudge his way into a shop filled with hysterical females...he refused. Even he had limits.

_Unless you want to suffer through apologizing to her face to face…_

Ichigo dumped his bag unceremoniously on the ground and made a frantic beeline to the shop.

'Kurosaki-kun!' Kumiko stared uncertaintly at the orange-haired boy as he struggled through the crowd, scratches lining one cheek.

Really, women could be lethal when they chose to be, Ichigo grumbled to himself. They were bad enough by themselves, but when a whole lot of them came after him for stealing the last plushie on the shelves…

He shuddered at the very memory, before hearing his name being called.

Ichigo took off at a sprint. His reputation had just gone down the drain the previous day, did he really have to be caught with a Chappy plushie in his hand? He scooped up his bag with one hand before fleeing down the streets.

Damnit, Rukia better forgive him considering the amount of trouble he went through to get the fucking rabbit.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Rukia stalked back down to class, still fuming over what happened the previous day. To add insult to injury, certain posters featuring Rukia and Mizuiro in compromising positions had been pasted all over the school walls.

She felt herself get more livid with every step she took. That damn Aiko was going to die when she got her hands on her.

Whispers and the buzz of gossip mongers could be heard behind her back everywhere she walked. No matter, she was used to it when she had been adopted into the Kuchiki estate.

Murmurs about her inadequecy were rampant—all said in hushed tones behind her back, careful not to be overheard. Some were even spread by elders from inside the compound, envy coating their very tones.

Byakuya had merely ignored them, choosing to sweep the matter under the proverbial carpet, expecting it to blow over sooner or later, but it was an arduous uphill task. Even when she rose to a position just beneath Kaien, the whispers followed her, clinging to her skin, eating her from the inside out. No matter how hard she tried to live her life following the rigid rules of the Kuchiki clan, it had never been enough.

For now, she had to live with insinuations and slights about her chastity.

She sighed. No matter which world it was, the people still revelled in senseless gossip.

Rukia tugged open the door of the classroom, expecting that her very presence would ignite another round of hushed whispers.

But why was a group of girls huddled around her table?

She paused in her footsteps. And why were they eyeing her with such envy? She expected taunts, insults—anything but slight jealousy?

'Kuchiki-san!' A joyful high-pitched squeal was heard as two arms descended around her neck.

She stumbled backwards. 'Orihime!' Even with her centuries of training, Orihime sometimes approached her so quickly that it was impossible to sense her reiatsu.

'Quick! Come to the toilet!'She dragged a slightly stunned Rukia to the nearest girls' toilet.

Oh my god. Rukia was flabbergasted. Why the hell was Tatsuki, Chizuru and it looked like half the female population in school—waiting for her in the female toilet?! She knew Mizuiro was a Casanova, but she never knew that he was _that_ popular with the ladies. And since when did Tatsuki go out with Mizuiro?

'I'm serious—nothing's going on between Mizuiro and me,' She directed a quizzical smile at them.

'Mizuiro?' Orihime stared puzzled at her. 'Who's talking about Mizuiro? What we are interested in is how on earth did you get Ichigo to fall in love with you?'

Cue screaming from the vast majority of the girls in the toilet.

'Yeah,' chimed in another girl—Chiyo, wasn't it? 'I've been chasing him for more than two years, and he still hasn't acknowledged my presence yet!'

'Ichigo?' choked out Rukia incredulously. 'Since when were we together?'

Orihime waggled her finger. 'Since he saved you from another of Mizuiro's rabid girlfriends, and since he dove into a crowd of frenzied females for you!'

'Frenzied females?' Rukia repeated cautiously. 'What frenzied females?'

'You don't know?' Shizuko answered, scandalized. 'He struggled through a crowd of frantic women to get you your precious Chappy bunny 'cos he knows that you liked them; and you have no idea of it?!'

'Yeah,' affirmed Kumiko. 'I saw him do it in the morning! He sustained so many scratches from the women that even I was touched by the depths of his boundless love!'

Rukia backed away hurriedly. She had no idea what was going on but it seemed that they were getting even more excited by the looks of it, if that was even possible.

'That's a statement of ardent love, even compared to Mizuiro's standards! I wish my boyfriend was that nice,' declared Tamako wistfully.

'And since when did Ichigo become this popular? He's just another moody, sullen prick!' scoffed Rukia disbelievingly.

'Ever since he rescued you from the clutches of a demonic Aiko yesterday!' burst out Orihime. 'He became the epitome of what all women want from their men! Yes, right now, he is even comparable to my Ishida-kun!'

Just then, the bell rang and Rukia beat a hasty retreat back to the classroom. Even lessons were preferable to the hordes of highly emotional girls that had flocked to the toilet when they heard that Rukia was there.

It was as if all her supposed sins of copulating with Mizuiro had vanished in her feat of winning over the most highly desired boy in Karakura High School.

She never knew Ichigo had that many female admirers. Apparently his scowl had the opposite effect with the female gender as his untouchable aura had attracted so many girls that they had banded together to form a Ichigo fanclub. Ew… just the thought of that made her cringe.

Although his gleaming pectorals that had developed through ardous hours of training with Urahara had helped, as well as the fact that his height ensured that he had towered above them…

Rukia strove to hide a derisive laugh. He was merely a surly dour shinigami substitute at heart though.

_Even though you know that below his brooding façade lies a caring heart? _A little voice mocked from the back of her head.

And therein lay her problem. Attractive shinigami men, she could deal with, even handle. But it was his heart that changed everything. He had been so generous, so recklessly generous with his love, no matter whether it was to his friends or his sisters—or even her. He gave so much of himself but didn't even recognize it.

He thought that he was distant and remote. And she knew that he was and had been after his mother's death.

But where it really counted, he gave freely and so lavishly that the fact that he tried so hard to hide it below his truculent, often churlish behaviour, and the fact that he didn't even recognize it in himself simply made him all the more attractive.

And it merely made her want to stand on her two feet more. Kuchiki Rukia did not depend on anyone else for her own safety. She would show him that she was more than ready to defend herself. No matter whether it was irritating ex-girlfriends or hollows that had to be exterminated.

She sighed, as she strode towards her desk, parting the crowd that had gathered there—before barely suppressing a shocked hiss of breath that escaped from between her teeth.

A Chappy bunny with its fur slightly mussed and its left ear dangling from a thread sat innocently on her desk. She stopped in her tracks, too stunned to react.

Since when did he…?

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her lips as a warm feeling rose inside of her

'Baka,' she chastised herself. 'It's just an apology gift.'

And she tried her best to ignore the warm feeling that rose inside her and blossomed outwards so forcefully that it was all she could do to keep the smile off her face.

_I'll thank him when he comes back. Where did that idiot go anyway?_

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Said idiot sneezed and wondered what the hell he was doing again in a classroom packed with a bunch of hyperactive girls who were all intent on getting close enough to him and touch his hair.

'Eeee!!!! It's so soft!!!' giggled one of them, running her fingers through his hair.

He scowled dourly and batted away her interfering fingers. Was it not enough that he had to run straight into a crowd of them early in the morning and here was another pack?! As if his day was not ruined enough already. Someone in Soul Society was responsible for this. He could just imagine Renji grinning at his misfortune. And was that girl squeezing his ears?!

'I do not kill girls,' he chanted beneath his breath, willing himself not to scream like a sissy. 'Do not kill girls.' Even if said girls were not in fact female and seemed to be rabid animals intent on tearing his clothes off.

And he thought mixed schools were bad enough. All girls schools, he realized now, were ten times the torture. It must be all that bottled up passion and raging hormones that made them attack unknown strangers a.k.a a certain shiningami substitute.

No wonder Mizuiro never had any lack of girlfriends if he knew of this place. They fairly threw themselves on anyone who was male.

And where the fuck was that Aiko anyway? It was her fault that the photos were scattered all over the place and he had to straighten it out.

His frown deepened, setting off more squeals at his apparent show of 'manliness', before they dog-piled on him simultaneously.

Ichigo gasped in shock (and suffocation) as he collapsed beneath the combined weight of fifteen girls at a time—before shrieking like a girl and taking to his heels with all of them hot in pursuit.

Man, he was never going to live this down.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

'Girls, girls. Pipe down.' Aiko clapped her hands as they formed two lines in front of her and bowed.

Ichigo clamped together the torn edges of his shirt and simply glared. Damn Mizuiro, he simply had to choose someone like that, didn't he?

Ichigo stared daggers at the woman currently strolling down the lines, smiling graciously to them. He had heard researched on the Kawanaes, her mother was the famous actress and her father was the infamous heartless business mogul of the 21st century whose intellect and quick practicality distinguished him amongst his peers.

No wonder she was so warped in the head. And where the hell did the red carpet come from anyway? He didn't see them have time to lay it out before she arrived.

'They are well-trained, my dear Ichigo,' she gestured at the straight lines of bowed heads. 'Now did you wait long? It wasn't as painful as you look, is it?' Ichigo cursed under his breath, he needed to stop being so transparent that everyone could see his emotions on his face.

He glared daggers at her infuriating look of nonchalence. Easy for her to say, she didn't have to spend ten agonizing minutes running around the school screaming bloody murder because a certain brat chose to take her time to appear.

'Now, now,' she reprimanded with a shake of her finger. 'It's not good manners to glare at someone like that. So what did you come here today for?'

Ichigo felt anger bubble to the surface and he controlled the part of him that craved for her blood dyeing the pristine white floor. Now, as he rummaged in his bag and drew out a photograph, resisting the urge to send it flinging it into her face, he clenched his fists tightly.

She clicked her fingers and another one of her servants took it from him and showed it to her. She handled the paper gingerly between her forefingers and his frown deepened as he watched her painted lips curve up in a smile.

'And what do you want me to do about it?' She shrugged. 'That's what happens when you take what I want away from me. I warned him already. It was his choice, so now they have to pay.'

As he watched her mouth move, he made do with systematically analyzing her—looking for a way to resolve this should she resort to violence.

Black hair swished back casually with tendrils that framed her face, he noted. Long white fingers that tapped an erratic rhythm on the mahogany table.

If the look on her face was anything to go by, she was irritated by the boy who had the gall to interrupt her afternoon but was thought of him as a welcome diversion.

He would make sure that she had plenty of fun today.

'Did you come to gawk at me or are you going to say something?' Her blood-red nails drew meaningless patterns on the table top. 'Is it about that troublesome girl again? You and I know that she deserved it.'

He stiffened. 'Rukia didn't have anything to do with it. It wasn't her fault! So why the hell are you making her suffer for something she didn't do?'

'Ah.' She waggled a finger at him as she gazed at him idly through the caked layers of her makeup. 'But she did do something. It was because she appeared in that school that Mizuiro—but let's not go into the sordid details, shall we? You know it as well as I do.'

'I'm not letting you make you and your pathetic little friends punish her for something that's not her fault!' he spat out. 'Let's face it, Kawanae, there's nothing in it for you!'

'And what is in for you, Ichigo?' She purred as she swivelled her chair lazily. 'You have no reason to miss a day of school simply to search me out and give me a tongue-lashing. Do you love her? Is this some kind of twisted love triangle gone wrong? Geometry can be _so _cruel sometimes.'

'I owe it to her.' He snarled in barely controlled rage. 'And this isn't about me. It's about you and Mizuiro's relationship. Just understand that it's over and get over it. I promise you that you'll live to regret it if you don't stop your weak attempts to torture Rukia.'

'I'll live to regret it? Do tell me how you're going to achieve that miraculous feat.' She countered, mirth evident in her tone. She pushed back her chair and stood up to leave. 'What can hurt me? I am Aiko Kawanae.'

'Stop now, or I'll do something that both of us will regret.' He looked at her with pity in her glance.

'I'll stop on one condition.' A small smile quirked her lips as she shifted in her chair into what he assumed was her bargaining pose.

'I'm all ears,' he bit out sarcastically.

'If you become my boyfriend. 'She bent her head forward, tongue skimming the lobe of his ear as he tensed beneath her touch. 'This way, I get my revenge—and I'll stop my, let's call it, _decorating_ of the school compound. Wasn't that your initial aim?'

His eyes were fathomless as she bent to kiss his lips, fingers skimming up the edge of his arm. Until he whispered when her lips were a centimetre away.

'Your father abuses you.' All the blood drained from her face, turning it a chalky white.

As soon as the words left his mouth, she reared up and slapped him. He barely flinched. 'He does not! Don't talk rubbish! How dare you presume to drag the Kawanae name in such filth?'

He looked at her. 'Don't you think that I would have done my research before coming to you? You underestimate me.'

She drew back. This was no longer the boy who was stunned by her apparent callousness towards a girl. In its place was a quiet victor, springing for the kill, jaws open towards the taut jagular.

Your mother left when you were nine. You are living with your father who is still unmarried. Why would he remain single when he has plenty of chances to wed? Your mother avoids the functions that your father appears in even when it would boost her career.' Now, his eyes were trained intently on her observing her reactions, testing the waters.

'I will kill you.' She whispered, cruel vindictiveness dripping from every syllable. 'Who are you to say such filthy lies? You have no proof. None at all.'

'One last point,' He finished. 'You winced when I grabbed you by the wrist back in my school. Why are you the only one wearing a long-sleeved turtleneck when all your friends wear shirts and it is summer? And why are you wearing makeup on such a hot day? Is it to cover your bruises?'

He swept her hair away before she slapped his intruding fingers away.

Hushed whispers erupted when he stopped talking and Aiko stood motionless, except for the tremors wracking her body.

My mother—everyone left me or were snatched away from me—I _need _this.'

'Don't try to deny me my right,' She roared at her friends who stared at her with pity evident in their eyes. 'And don't—_don't _look at me with those eyes! I see _that _fuckingexpression in everyone's eyes! Poor poor Aiko—lost her mother who ran away with her dad's best friend, her father abuses her and no one does a thing—how pitiful, how sad…'

She noticed Ichigo at the periphery of her vision and looked up before recoiling at his look of cruelty. For a split second, she didn't recognize his face—utterly transformed as he smiled viciously at her.

'I won't even give you a chance to react.' He bent his head and she shivered at the tone of menace layering his voice. 'Now, do you want to tell your _servant_s to remove the incriminating photographs? Or shall I leak this news to the papers?

'I'm sure that they'll pay dearly for gossip like that,' he said silkily as she opened her mouth to retort. 'It would be such a sight to see the Kawanae empire collapse because of this single piece of news.'

'You wouldn't dare.' Aiko's face had turned ashen.

'I told you. You hurt her, I'll destroy you.' His tone was implacable.

'Why are you doing so much for her?' She scrambled for words. 'She's nothing to you! You only knew her for a year and a half!'

'For her, I'll be the devil himself.' He inclined his head, hearing her breath whoosh out in a frantic gasp as she shrunk back. 'Do you really want to test me?'

He took a step towards her and smiled, as she backed away hurriedly. 'No—no—I was merely having a little fun—it wasn't meant to be taken so seriously—I'll do anything you want—'

'Thank you for a nice afternoon,' His tone was mild again. 'I hope I won't have to see you again.'

'Yes—I mean, no—'

He left as she tripped over her words in her evident panic.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Rukia twisted her pencil in her grasp. Where the hell was Ichigo? It was the last period and he had still yet to appear.

If he skipped school because of his destroyed reputation, she was so going to castrate him slowly and painfully at home!

There was a knock on the door and Rukia ignored it when it gave a disloyal bound in her chest.

The familiar orange hair appeared in the doorway and Ichigo edged himself into the classroom.

Everyone's gaze zeroed in onto the two scratches on his cheek, courtesy of Aiko's heroic efforts to injure him. Orihime gasped while Chad merely looked at him as he attempted to ignore Ochi-sensei's death glare.

It was futile.

'Kurosaki! Where were you for most of the day?!' She boomed.

Ichigo stumbled to his seat and dumped his bag on the ground, waylaying Rukia attempts at kicking his shin and saying a short prayer that God decided to give midgets short legs.

'I had food poisoning.' He scratched his head.

'Humpf,' Ishida scrutinized him and looked away.

'Why, you ass, you want to make something out—'

'Sit down, you baka!'

'None of your business, midget!'

'You—'

Insert sound of shoe hitting shins.

It was just a normal day at school. Except…

Sometimes words that are said are not always heard. While others linger long after they're said.

_Why are you doing so much for her? She's nothing to you! You only knew her for a year and a half__!_

Ichigo's frown deepened as he stared out of the window.

**To be continued…**

**(btw, is Ichigo a bit OOC here?) I kinda liked ****the idea of him not minding that he has to play the role of the devil for her. Tell me what you think! And merry xmas!**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


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